Cask of Moonlight
by The 483
Summary: 3 Years after the defeat of Duke, the world seems to finally be working again.  A Gate Opens between worlds, and the Guilds and the Union of Guilds have solid ties.  But do distabilizing elements ever vanish entirely?
1. Chapter 1

_Tales Of Vesperia_: _Cask of Moonlight_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Vesperia, and therefore claim not legal affinity over the property.**_

**Chapter 1: Looking back**

Death had followed her wherever she had gone for as long as she could remember. It loomed, ever present, over her shoulder, as if waiting for her to touch something else and summon it, like vultures to a rotting corpse. It was as if was a curse, harkened by her interest, flung about with much more frequency than was normal. Her precences had caused wars, the near extinction of an entire species, and even (though partly the fault of her bloodline and the former Commandant of the Imperial Knights) almost ushered in the complete eradication of human life. Indirectly, of course.

Had she been possessing of a cynical minds, she might have found it funny that as a child with the power to bring life, her greatest export was death. But her mind did not light upon these thoughts as she glanced out the window into the streets awash with the soft glow of the full moon. Indeed, such musings were so far from her own, that her mind could not form them without outside interference. Her mind was set firmly on the future, more specifically, the following couple of days. Tomorrow was the start of the annually meet between the Empire and the guilds. Much had changed since the events three years prior. The revolt of Alexei and resulting destabilization had been repaired. Flynn had been elected as Commandant, and the knights, while still being weeded out from the holdouts from the bad days, was shaping into a proud organization once again. Ioder had been nominated and instated as Emperor, and he was doing a pretty good job so far.

After Don Whitehorse's passing, and the death of 2 of the other 4 Master guilds, the Union managed to survive in large part thanks to effort of Miss Kauffman of Fortune's Market. It took a lot of wrangling and effort, but a lasting peace between the Guilds and the Empire seemed like a possibility for the first time in living memory. Each year, representatives and spectators would travel to the neutral meeting ground of the city Halure, and days of negations, treaties, parties and other events would take place as new friendships were sealed, and old qualms were settled. It was both good for business, and fun.

Personally, she didn't look forward to this event for the revelry or opportunities, but because it would be the first time in months she would have gotten to see her friends in months. Everyone was so busy once their quest had ended, each having they're own obligations to attend to, they had decided It was necessary to go their separate ways, but still kept up post.

She watched the evening changing of the guard stifling a yawn, then climbed into her bed, intending to get a little rest at least before rising to prepare.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to any other person within the capital, a Private sat alone, sharpening a oddly shaped knife, his plan to end the royal bloodline playing over his mind.

…

"Professor… Professor?"

"What! What do you want!" The instructor yelled as she turned away from the board she was inscribing a complicated series of glyphs upon. Her short brown hair seemed to flutter as if her harsh town was a physical emission. The student staggered as if hit.

"H-H-o…I don't understand. Without Blastia and Cores, how do these formulas have any effect to do anything?" The teacher sighed heavily, as if this question we're so far beneath her that she was insulted that the subject would even be broached.

"As I, and some of my other…_peers_…" she said it as if it tasted foul, "have endevered to instruct you upon, the Sidos Blastia is still a Blastia. This type of Blastia, instead of burning Aer as a fuel to cause otion or magic, it instead converts the Aer directly into the desired matter with minimal loss of actual Aer mass, thus not effecting the balance overall more than very slightly, as the Aer used reverts back to Aer. For those of you incapable of such simple understanding, think of it like this.

To make Ice, you freeze water. To get water, you melt the ice. Total water lost in the transition is minimal. The Sidos Blastia acts as the unit that converts the water to ice, and ice to water." She glared at the stuent, and after a moment, huffed loudly and continued her chalk scribbles. After abother minute her scribbles ended in a tangled mess of figures.

"Now, many of the formulas that allowed for certain magic only needed small tweeks in the absorption and distribution areas to compensate for the new amounts and processing of the Aer, and are still similar to the original. This simple spell I have inscribed upon the board should allow even of the simplest of you, "she shot a pointed glare at the mouthy one, "to conjure a flame wisp. I will demonstrait, and then you shall all try and replicate some semblance of the same." With a loud snap she unfurled a thing decretive strip of cloth from around her neck and waist, a gift from a friend, and wove simple cage of glowing orange thread around her. Symbols scrolled around the thread as the formula instructed, condensed, shaped, and regurgitated the Aer into a bright floating ball of crackling flame that bobbed in front of her. The cloth flowed back to it's resting place as the clas began to rise and attempt to replicate the effect with their own, of class issued Sidos Blastia.

…

The other staff of the Imperial College tended to keep to the outskirts of the lounge when Professor Mordio was in, but today found it empty. At Eighteen years old, she stood slight, pretty, and overwhelming. She burned with a passion and intellect few could match separately, let alone together. She was one of, if not the leading expert in Blastia, old and new, but especially new, as it had been her that had invented them, years before, when a friends life had been threatened by the very process that had allowed use of Blastia to begin with. She had few friends, but did not take kindly to anything that threatened them. Absently, she looked over the list of Teachers and bulletin board. She didn't usually, but decided to because there was nothing much to do as most of the recourses of the College were shipping out tomorrow for the presentation. She did not admit that she was looking forward to the show for anything other than the chance to show off her own prodigious power, but she slightly missed seeing the old gang.

She scrolled the names and recognized people from what used to be Aspio, before the …what did they deem it now, the Calamity?... happened. At the base was a little headed that said "Special Guest Leture: R. Sage and G. Sage on the use of Healing and Strike Magic."

She had heard something about this… Once the Tower had fallen after Duke was defeated, (they had destroyed it, as a weapon like that should not be remembered, let alone allowed to exist,) they had found an odd sort of door at the heart of the rubble. Apperently a whole other land was on the other side, similar to theirs but using funny terms for stuff. Quite stupid sounding, too. Stuff like Mana and Elves. Just plain weird. The discovery had lead more to the piece between Empire and Guilds than anything, because these strangers seemed all well and good, but one never could be too careful. Rita did not care as long as she did not have to be bothered with such non-sense, but she had seen some of the materials brought over for examination, and already saw possibilities for their use. She sighed deeply as she turned away.

Much as she was loath to admit it, she actually enjoyed the gathering of some of the brightest minds in the land, even if she was the youngest, and in her opinion, the brightest. She just wished she did not have to stay for the rest of the gathering. Sure, she got to see Yuri and the others, but she could get that done in about half an hour on the only day she really wanted to be there. But, damn it, Estelle wanted her to be there, sitting up with the Emperor, watching the stuff, and just be around her. She didn't understand it anymore after three years then she did when she was 15. She wanted to simply mark it off as Estelle being a sentimental fool, but that would have forced her to examine why she readily acceded to her desires. She sighed deeply again, remembering that after last year, she had vowed to purchase an ass cushion, because that idiot Flynn never failed to provide her with a wooden chair. She left the room and walked toward the entrance off the grounds of the Academy to the Capital. God help the vendors if she couldn't find what she needed.

…

Nor Harbor was still being flooded with ships, scooners, and private frigates even as the moon reached its zenith and began the slow steady plunge back toward the horizon. Those who had arrived earlier were camped out in the large barren clearing that had once been Emhead Hill, where they would march on the compound set around the city of Halure the following morning. The tents of the Master Guilds, Altosk, Fortunes Market, The Soul Smiths, The Blood Alliance, and Leviathans Claw, were easily the biggest and most impressive. They sat in a large pentagon, a enormous bonfire lit between the to share.

Harry had stepped up, and with a little help from some close allies, become a fairly decent leader of Altosk. The challenge of a more unified Union was handled very well with the support and skills of Fortunes Markey and the Soul Smiths. Those members of the Blood Alliance that had been loyal to the Guild rather than the old tyrant, Barbos, had done a terrific job of sorting and reforming into a respectable, and far less brutal Guild, and were again key in assisting the Merchant guilds. Gauche and Droite had emerged to take over both Leviathans Claw and Ruins Gate, and in an effort to return some of the positive association back to their fathers name, rather than the overly hostile and shady past they had due to Alexei's influence. The union may not be held together by the imposing figure it once was, but it held none the less.

The other camps radiated in ripples around this fixture, creating a sea of tents and fires. Flags and pennants bearing guild crests fluttered and snapped in the midnight breeze, showing off a wide variety of icons and garish colors. Out near the edge of the outer ring, a small camp without tents stood apart from the others in that it was not involved in the din of the community. A small flag bearing the Emerald Star that was the symbol the guild Brave Vesperia. It was a small guild, but one held in high esteem and notoriety within both the Guilds, and the Empire. It was rumored that most of the Master guild were indebted to the little guild, and they even held confidence with the Emperor personally. But no one really believed in such silly tales. Little was really known about the group, other than that the leader was a courageous warrior and also the youngest founder of a guild to be legitimized by the union, ever, at 12 years old. Dozens of most certain liars claimed to have been in guilds that had given the leader the boot, but none were believed, not even the esteemed Hunting Blades.

They were know to take on the oddest of jobs, and even refusing payment on occasion, if they judged the task to be necessary. The air of mystery helped spread the deeds, embellished wildly, of course, to all corners of the globe, and it had been heard somewhere that tales even trickled through the gate in the ruins of Aspio. But, they were also said to have a giant flying dragon, so that shows how far gossip can be trusted.

Their repute at being the ones to call when no one else could solve a problem did not fit the unobtrusive settings of four sleeping bags and a lone hound curled on a blanket sis not show anything odd about the group.

They were already asleep, ready for the coming Gathering, and business prepared for the coming days.

**End One.**

**Hope you enjoy. Obviously I am threading in at least some of the Characters from Tales Of Symphonia, so Expect to see Raine, Genis, and Sheena, in the Next Episode. If I got some of the technicals wrong in the whole Blastia speech wrong, sorry, I'm stupid. So… Er… yeah, Thanks for watching.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Tales Of Vesperia_: _Cask of Moonlight_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Vesperia, and therefore claim not legal affinity over the property.**_

**Chapter 2: The "look at me" part**

Yuri sat staring into the… he wasn't really sure what it was Karol had prepared, but it was good. Brave Vesperia was in the back quarter of the guilds to be introduced, so they didn't need to be heading out until right before noon, so they got to lounge around the camp. Judith was out, Karol was minding the fire, Repede was…eating a squirrel, and the old man was still asleep, as per usual. He scratched under his eye, and then looked over the newest slash mark down his arm. He hoped it would have healed better by now, as he had several disputes to deal with over the next few days, and was counting on his sword arm to carry the authority he would need.

It had been established that major disputes between guilds, the Empire, or both, would be settled in physical contests, and those guilds that were not proficient with Warriors could hire out to those that were. It was a way for some guilds to earn some reputation and get a leg up in a fierce job market. In fact, A little known guild, The Crimson Legion, represented another because they could not afford anything else in a claims dispute and won, and their business had increased exponentially over the intervening year. They were actually admitted to the grounds a full quarter before Yuri's own Guild. It made him Miss Estelle, knowing she could fix him up good as new in a matter of seconds.

He looked up from his personal musings at the sound of footsteps. He looked up and saw a recent acquaintance he had met in some woods up north followed by another man.

"Hmh, I thought you'd be up front with the rest of your party." Yuri Growled, gesturing for the newcomer to pull up some ground. He sat with his friend, maneuvering his dual blades so as not to interfere with his position.

"Nah, I'm not a limelight type of guy."

"Yeah, I hear you there." He really did, as he had, on multiple occasions, refrained from taking credit for his achievements. Raven sat up, yawning widely, and mock saluting the pair, acknoldged by nods.

"Morning Lloyd, who's yer buddy?" He scratched his head and got his hair back into a less organized rumple.

"This I Zelos, he pulled our butts out of some pretty tight spots back in the day." Lloyd answered, accepting a cup from Karol.

"Yeah?" Yuri expressed, with raised eyebrows, "7 to 3 he didn't get you into that trouble in the first place…" He left in hanging and Raven picked it up, offeneded.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"You sold me to slavers., Raven." Karol said, not displeased but merely stating it.

"Yes, but I also told you first, and so we made a profit and had a good to raid their compound."

"We didn't need an excuse, because it's in our laws to stamp out stuff like that." He retorted, still mater of factly. Judith had returned, depositing a fresh load of wood near the fire, and waving to Lloyd. She was wearing her dragon rider armor, and looked no different that any of the male pikers that wore their armor in the camp. The man, Zelos, who had looked bored until that point, followed her with his eyes.

"Don't forget that mess with Estelle." Yuri said. Raven looked away.

"Don't know why you're accusing me, that was the work of that Schawwn Fella." He rubbed the back of his head.

"Funny," Yuri sighed, "comb your hair I wouldn't be able to tell the difference." Raven mubled something, and Lloyd spoke.

"Well, I am afraid you'd lose that bet, as this guy set us all into a trap, changed his mind half way through, and let us all loose." His friend, who had remained silent until that point spoke in a high, aristocratic voice.

"Why id you're lady friend wearing so much heavy armor?" They all looked over at him, Judith cocking her head sideways slightly, her helmet creaking. She reached up and unbuckled it , shaking out her hair and antennae as she placed it on the ground. A little stuffed dragon clung to the end of her left most Antennae, a replica of her friend, Ba'ul.

"I am surprised you could tell I was a female in this. She said, her voice silky, but not to sultry. Zelos sprung to his feet and bowed deeply, while Lloyd shook his head and sighed.

"There is a way a lady walks and hold herself that can be seen even under such blockage. I am Zelos the great, Chosen of Tethe'alla, and you're humble servent. Allow me to assist with the removal of that offensively covering eye sore my darling." His overpowing attempt at charm did nothing but light a fire in Judith's eyes, and give her the need to bait him.

"Judith." She offered her gaunleted hand, and he made an elaborate show of kissing it.

"This remind you of anyone?" Yuri whispered to Karol, who nodded, looking a little nauseated.

"Hey, shut up!" Raven pouted, growing slightly red. "I was never that overblown."

"He's not over doing it, this is about normal." Lloyd didn't bother to wisper, as Zelos wasn't listening.

"I have it covered." He voice was even silkier, as she was well aware of the effect she could have on men, and enjoyed the harmless teasing of them, and this looked to be more fun than goading the Old Man, as this one seemed to believe in his charm. Her goal was to see is she could get him to pop a blood vessel. She made a real production out of stripping of her armor and stretching her long, smooth appendages. "The sun and the troublesome monsters can be so bad for one skin, you know?" to her disappointment, the mans expression had not changed, and she could see in his eyes that while he was admiring her, this show was just that, a show, and she decided to save her energy.

"I do. You know, you are quite as… ample, as another of our friends, although you do seem to like to show it off a bit more that she does."

"Well, a girl does like to be noticed. Thank you." She gave a short smile, accepted another cup from Karol, and sat between him and Yuri.

"I call dib's on introducing him to Rita." Karol said quickly.

"Damn it!" Raven said, dropping his shoulders in defeat. Zelos's eyebrow arched.

"Hmm? Rita? Is this another lovely companion of yours?"

"I guess you could…"

"Yes, she is." Judith cut Yuri off, seeing where this was going and making a mental note to be there to watch.

"Anyway," Yuri decided to change the subject, "you never did tell me what brought you to our side." He was looking off in the distance.

"Uh… well, I don't really know." Lloyd said, thinking hard. "I… I guess,… we just got bored." He looked conflicted, and more than a little uncertain. Strangely enough, it was Raven who chimed in, still sitting with his back to the group.

"What use is there for old soldier when the world enjoys peace?" All they're eyebrows rose as they stared intently at Ravens back. They remained quite for a few minutes, each lost in there own thoughts, eyes unfoucused as they all looked at their past.

"That is actually about it. I could not put it to words but I think you nailed it.

"Yeah, Yuri said, "The old man can be pretty insightful when he really wants to be."

…

The introductions had flowed smoothly and rapidly throughout the afternoon, and the presentation was nearing the end. The displays had played out in many different ways. One brigade did a show of precision marching, another a fancy archery exhibition. One guild even put on a puppet show for the assembled crowds in the freshly constructed risers squared around a pitch of now churned earth. The stage for the contests would be brought in and set up that night. But now, the final display of the day would be taking place.

The riser with its back to town with the gigantic flowering tree and a second shaded platform built on the top, and hosted a mess of chairs. In these seats were Emperor Ioder, The Comandant Flynn, his first officer and girlfriend, Lady Sodia, his second officer, the mage Witcher, Lady Estelline, Rita, and a host of the other most important nobles in the empire. The heads and retainers of the Master Guilds and a special envoy from the other side of the Gate sat in a matching stand across from them. The Empire filled the seats to the left of Rita, and the guilds and others took up the right.

Once again she ran her eyes along the see of cheering and jeering faces to the spot where the people she knew sat. Repede sat straight and watched the field with interest while, Karol next talking to the old man. Then Yuri and a strange man. She was irked, as this man was clearly with the Guild Brave Vesperia, as this man was sitting between Yuri and Judith, and the three were talking animatedly, and kept gesturing at a few others down the line. She was not irked about not being included, but that there was something she didn't know.

The first man had long light red orange hair that fell straight and to past his shoulders. She could see he was kind of… pretty, she decided, even from this distance, and held himself lightly. The one next to Judith stood out because of his bright red clothing, but that was about it. The two being gestured at were a small girl with long brown hair, and a blonde boy with purple clothing, and what appeared to be a large black cat of some kind. The magically magnified voice of an announcer cut through the commotion and ended her thoughts.

"And now, for the final performance, a display of magic and summoning for the other side of the gate!" _Ha_, she thought, _the word of someone who didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Summoning was just what idiots thought magic was. Spells aren't conjured, they are created._ "I give you Sir Genis Sage of Sylvarant, and Madam Sheena Fujibayashi of Tethe'alla!" She was looking at a small boy, dressed in light blue, with grey hair and what looked like some king of toy in his hand. Next to him was a woman, comparable in size to Judith, a bit stockier, but at least as pretty. Rather than flashing an extreme amount of skin, she was encased in a flowing and elegent dress of what looked like semi transparent silk.. Both stood in a calm yet expectant way.

With a quick movement, the woman, Sheena, pulled out a deck of rectangular cards and began placing them in the air, where they floated unassisted, and the boy began playing with his toy. She was unimprested as it was obvious they were performing a dual cast spell, and the cards and toys were the equivalent of her own fabric strip. The boys voice, high yet strong, cut across the field as he chanted his incantation, Rita lounging back, not expecting much.

"I call upon thee in the land of the dead to release thy fury and thunder…INDIGNATION!" Both glowed with a slight purple light as a circular sigil rotated onto the churned earth, and with a roar dozens of bolts of violet lightning crashed down from the cloudless sky into the glyph.

Rita sat bolt upright so quickly that she startled Estele. I wasn't the lightning that peaked her interest for the first time that day, but rather what was left behind in it's wake. A globe of throbbing electricity. Two glowing eyes, and a pair of pincers hovered in the spot the bolts hat hit. Rita was forming theorys and smashing them at a high rate. They weren't dual casting, but rather syrcronized to cast at the same time. But what was the lightning ball thing? It moved off to a side, and the others were already moving to there next spells, cards moving and ball jumping.

"Form a torrential vortex and engulf the evil spirits… TIDAL WAVE!" a Blue flash and a tornado of water spun up. When it died, a female figure made of water glided to a corner. Rita almost recognized it, but it couldn't be.

"May the merciless embrace of frost take you... ABSOULUTE!" Spires of ice erupted from the grounds, then shattered, revealing a blue woman sitting side saddled on a wolf with a mane of ice crystals, it's breath spreading frost on the ground. Estele whispered to Rita.

"Those look like spirits." She nodded but said nothing, watching, analyzing what she was seeing. It continued, every spell bringing another figure, one of fire, wind, dark, light, and earth, until eight of them stood in a rough circle. They all shot their respective elements inward, and where they met, a ball of all the elements swirling at once grew into a sphere of pure golden light. Then, the womans voice called out over the crowd.

"The source of heaven, earth, and everything in between; the ruller of all. I summon thee…come, ORIGIN!" The was a crack, and the tips of four blades pierced the ball of gold, and blasted ot open, reavealing a giant, four armed man of intense age and power floating. He twisted and twirled, slashing his powerful muscles and weapons, finally driving all four into the dirt, and in a flash of light, all were gone, and quite fell. Applause thundered at the display, and the woman who was casting panted and staggered away, drained of energy, followed by the boy.

…

Lloyd got up and left before the echoing boom did completely.

"He sure wasted no time in making for the exit." Raven commented as he vanished into the boiling crowd.

"Nah, the girl up there, Sheena, that's his woman, and he's going to help her back to the tent, now she's all tuckered." He looked up at the red glowing clouds, and then turned to Judith. "Looks like it's going to rain, you should come and sleep in our tent tonight." Judith smiled alluringly and innocently.

"Oh, my, how nice, but I couldn't possibly leave my friends out in the rain." Raven smirked at how cynical Judith was in her young age. She was going to play with a man who was used to it. Where a lesser man might have stuttered of become intimidated by the aura of pure sexuality that Judith had going for her. Zelos, he just smiled a knowing smile.

"And I would not even think of leaving them out in the rain. We're all friends now, right?" as if to punctuated this, a loud voice cut through the air, drawing a sigh out of the Verperians.

"HEY, KID! STOP!" The female voice echoed across the stadium, causing the boy Genis to pause and look back

"Huh…What?" He startled himself as his voice was magnified to reach back to the girl who had shouted. Rita yelled even though her voice was already extremely loud.

"I challenge you to a magic battle, tomorrow." He looked startled again, turned hesitantly to the stands behind him, and then turned back and answered in the affirmative.

"What is up with that chick? Genis is going to obliterate her." Zelos said, shaking his head at what was a truly insane display of pride and arrogance.

"I don't know," Yuri said, absently, "I've seen that one in action, and she is pretty good."

"Geez," Karol added quietly to Raven, "I see she hasn't changed."

…

The large tent was large enough to comfortably fit all the Vesperians and others. Emil, Marta, had retired, as hadKarol, nervous about the fights he would be participating in, while Lloyd, Sheena, Zelos, Yuri, and Raven were sitting around a fire under a canopy awning that was sagging slightly as water pooled. Judith had gone out to try to get a word with Estelle and Rita, who, like all the most senior people, were lodged in the Inn within the town. Sheena was wrapped in a blanket, leaning up against Lloyd, fast asleep. Yuri, Raven, and Zelos sipped steaming mugs of tea. The rain was really falling; obscuring almost all of the surrounding camps, save for a blurry form splashing past every now and again.

"So," Zelos inquired of Yuri and Raven, "what is the story with your lady friend?"Raven smirked.

"Judy? Well, she's smart, skilled, elegant, strong, and… oh, what's the word?"

"Incredibly violent." Yuri added.

"Yeah! That's it! If you are thinking about trying anything with her, remember that." Zelos looked skeptical.

"I don't think it'll be a problem." Raven scoffed with a grin.

"That's what I thought before I made a pass. And now," Yuri looked over curiously, as this was ne information to him, and saw Raven pull the front of his shirt down. "This is the only thing that keeps me alive." He pulled his shirt back into place, and Judith emerged from the rain, drenched and sat down by the fire. "Judith, darlin', aren't you going to change into something dry? Karol stashed the pack in the tent, want me to dig something out for you?" She looked slightly morose, but replied softly.

"No, thank you. I wans't counting on the rain, but I only brought the one outfit, figuring I would purchase something nice at the stalls for the festivities. I'll be fine, not the first time I've gone to bed wet."

"No need, you look about my size, I'm sure I have something you could borrow." Sheena had spoken, apparently awake. The boys all watched as the to women spent the next few minutes going back and forth, Judith declining, and Sheena insisting. Finally, Judith relented, and was led inside by the dark haired woman. Both emerged another couple of minutes later, wrapped in matching thick robes, Sheena returning to the fire by Lloyd, who had dropped back to sleep in their absence. She woke him and moved him into the tent.

Judith, using her lance and a few logs of dry firewood, hung her cloths near the fire so that they would be dry for the morning. She placed her under garments closer, so she could wear them to bed. When she finished, she grabbed a seat between Yuri and Raven, back to the fire, prompting her hair to dry.

"Estelle says hi, and that she cannot wait to see you." Judith imparted, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Zelos was sitting apart, watching her dressed in just a robe. Subtle movements showed that she was in fact toying with him, though. "Rita says she's going to beat how the kid did his," she made air quotes with her fingers ""Magic tricks" tomorrow. The Commandant said that he agrees with your terms, and that he hopes you will put up a good fight this time."

"Of course he does." Yuri grunted, and Judith, repositioning one of Raven's legs, used it to lie back and show the top of her head to the flames, and flash just enough cleavage across the fire.

"So, why did you ask Repede to stay with Estelle for a while?" Yuri stood up at this, an waved a dismissive hand at her.

"Ask the old man, I'm going to bed." Yuri did, and after getting a look from Raven that said he would not have the opportunity to get Judy alone, Zelos followed with a polite goodnight to the female. She looked up at Raven, who shrugged, having no input on Yuri's surly reply.

"Call it an old man's intuition, but something about the crouwd today just didn't seem right. Having a little dedicated backup with Estelle and the little Genius just helps me sleep at night."


	3. Chapter 3

_Tales Of Vesperia_: _Cask of Moonlight_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Vesperia, and therefore claim not legal affinity over the property.**_

**Chapter 3: Contest and Conflict**

Yuri sprung backward, dodging the slash of light, landing on his hands and throwing himself further backward, avoinding the forwards slash. Landing on one foot, he pivoted, bring to flat of his sword up and catching the downward slash. Using the shock of the impact he spun that way, bring his whole body around in a spiral and slashing out, only to be met and halted on his opponents shield.

"I said a good show, not a dance number." Flynn huffed under his shield, so that only Yuri can. Using Flynn's shield as a park for his blade, he spun vertically again, catching the hilt in his other hand and spinning another uppercut, which Flynn dodged close by falling backward, his sword hand hitting the ground. Using it as a balance he swept out Yuri's legs, and righted himself; bring the shield face crushing downward to meet Yuri's blocking blade. Yuri grunted back, in the same stage whisper.

"I'm surprised you're able to keep up. I wouldn't have thought the missus would let you fight your own battles anymore. I would have thought you'd be too busy to get any good exercise in." That got his goat, and as Flynn relented to give another slam, Yuri rolled out and was up.

"Pyre Havoc!" He shouted, driving a blow to Flynn's unguarded stomach, lifting him up and sending him flying with a blazing slash. Flynn was up and on him before he had even landed.

"Beast!" The spectral lion's head caught him and hurled him head over heels, and he had to dig his blade into the floor of contest area to keep from being hurled into the audience.

Their duel was one of the eight that was currently going on in the large, partitioned center area between the risers. It was still drizzling, and the rain did not seem likely to end. There had been a shock of outrage among the Nobility when a commoner from a guild had challenged the Commandant of the Knights to personal combat, but those that had were enjoying the beating their champion was bestowing to the rabble. Estelle was not happy, however, because she did not enjoy watching the two friends fight. She was so worked up, thinking that it was more than just a display, and that they were intending to do serious harm to one another, that Repede, who was following her at all time, was even letting her stroke his head nervously. He bore it with a extremely convicting look of patience for the nearly unbearable. He saw it for what it was, two friends saying hello after a long time apart.

The message Judith had delivered during her visit the previous night, had a detail of an encounter of a Knight outpost in the north which was releasing monsters into nehboring farmland as an excuse to snatch the land for their own interests. Rather than handle the situation himself, and bring bad press and problems down upon the Guild, he had voiced the matter in this letter, and offered Flynn the chance to fight over it in this arena. He would allow Flynn to win, he would clean out the corruption, bolster his administration, and Yuri would have helped out a bunch of small farmers just trying to live their way.

Yuri was practicing using the system to solve problems, rather than taking in the consequences to bare all by himself. He did not realize that this was part influence from Estelle, who depeneded on her friends to be everything she believed they could be, and numerous threats from Karol. Karol had really shaped up to a capable leader over the past couple years, and knew how to put the stick and the carrot to the best use available.

Yuri rose slowly to his feet.

"Okay, that almost hurt." He brushed at his clothes to remove dirt, and Flynn moved closer slowly until… "Destruction field!" He whipped over and delivered the punishing blow, sending Flynn jumping backward before closing the gap again, where they pushed upon each other's guard. "Trying to impress your girlfriend, then?" Yuri was one of the only two people who knew why Sodia had approached Flynn the year prior, as he had used the fact that she had stabbed him and tossed him off the top of Zaude to force her to act upon her attraction to the starchy Knight the previous year. She seemed to have been good for him, as he was in top form. His taunt did not work this time.

"What about you," he replied; they were back to the stage whisper. "You seem to be acting awfully flashy, trying to catch someone's eye?" His eyes flicked away toward a certain part of the stands for a second, and it worked, as Yuri gave an angry shove and Flynn slipped under his guard, nailing Yuri good before the resumed the shoving match. "Oh ho, and here I thought I was bluffing. Really, Yuri, her?" Yuri's renewed offensive failure and subsequent injury answered and put a knowing smirk on Flynn's face. "Well, I can't say I disapprove. From what I can see, she's been a good influence on you. Ready for the tip off?" Yuri hid a nod with a head butt and they broke apart, before slashing at each other in a frenzy of flashing steel.

Flynn feignted a slash, and followed up with a shield bash. Yuri let his guard drift upward a little more than it should have gone to give Flynn his opening. With a backward step followed bay a jab continuing into a jumping slash, Flynn executed a fatal strike and sent Yuri sprawling, unconscious away. He was revived by the appointed healer, shook hands with his opponent, and whispered, "See you at the party?" Flynn nodded slightly, and they returned to their places, eagerly awaiting the start of Rita's duel.

…

Rita stood, arms crossed and eyes closed, upset that it was taking this long for her to be allowed to blast this little upstart. The price was that if she won, the little kid would tell her how he cast those flash spells in sync with the female. Her own theory was that he had used her as a conductor to boost his own available surplus of Aer, allowing him to cast two separate spells at once. He had insisted at first that he was simply casting his spell. He kept insisting upon the fallacy that that woman was "Summoning" spirits. It was ridiculous for many reasons, and easily proved wrong by the fact that Estelle could not summon spirits herself, and she was bound and held in balance by them. He had finally agreed after much, much reiteration of her points. If he won, unthinkable as it was, she would introduce him and his party to the Royals. She knew he had stepped up onto the platform because the noise of the crowd began fading. She opened her eyes.

He was smaller than she had guess, now that she saw him up close. On par to Karol even. He said he was 19, but save for the long grey hair, could have easily passed for somewhere between 12 and 15. He was… unlike any other mage she had encountered, but she could not say why. Something about his features. The curve of his nose, the size of his eyes, the shape of his ears. He own perceptive background allowed her to pick these oddities out. She doubted anyone else would have noticed. Anyone else would have just seen a kind of cute kid in blue grey robes and… He thoughts looped back and she felt a small burn in her cheeks at the thought. She caught a raised eyebrow from the boy, and the burn spread as her face reddened from both embarrassment an anger. She looked away, shaking slightly in fury, and wished she blast him already. Behind him, a tall and very pretty woman stood in for his healer, as Estelle stood for her. She had the same hair, but larger, slightly more catlike eyes, and was again, beautiful on a level to match Judith, but in a completely different direction. She felt no shame at these thoughts, as to her mind it was just a comparison of features and build, completely objective of her own biology. While Judith was sleek and lithe, and stood tensed like a spring waiting to expand, this woman, probably his mother, had a … more refined look to her. She couldn't put it into words exactly, she just seemed… mature.

She became aware that the announcer had been speaking, and there was a slight gong as the match began. She spread her arms, here cloth unwinding ans billowing as if caught by the wind. She brought her arms diagnaly down in front of her.

"Fireball!" She spat, and five orbs of fire materialized and flew at her opponent. He lifted his kendama, and matched her spell, blocking each of her orbs with one of his own, before uppercutting the toy and crying out.

"Stone Blast!" Rita dove sideways, cartwheeling clear of the shifting ground and casting a matching spell while she was still upside down. He was clear before she had landed, and she lashed out before he could focus.

"Spread Zero!" A ball of darkness grew in front of him, an swinging the kendama, he batted it upward, where it exploded harmlessly. He cast on the down swing.

"Aqua Edge!" Three blades of water slashed forward, and Rita threw a Champaign at him before dodging, and got caught by one and thrown to the ground. She bounced up, angry, and hurled another spell at him without noticing that her last had connected.

"Demons Lance!"

"Flame Lance" Neither were playing now, and were hurling spells and dodging as fast and visiiously as they could.

"Gold Cat"

"Lightning!"

"Ivy Rush!"

"Grave!"

"Thunder Blade!"

"Air Blade!"

"Flame Dragon!"

"Ground Dasher!"

"Crimson Flare!"

"Earth Bite!" Rita, tired now, was caught staggering as the ground bucked beneath her. Without warning it cracked, jagged edges appearing in concentric circles around her, and closed, crashing into her body and sending charges of electricity coursing through her. She managed to throw up her magic guard, but still took the brunt of it. With a pulse of pure rage she threw a Bloddy Howling directly beneath her own feet, and blasted the electrified cocoon of rock away in a flash of scarlet and ebony and the triggered her mystic art.

"O' power that lies in the root of all creation, O' memory inscribed in ages past, here my call and arise before me…" Giant inscribed orbs of blue, red, green and brown materialized and circled slowly around Rita, as Genis sensed the power behind this spell, and hastily cased his own spell, whose chant was lost under Rita's own roar. "ANCIENT CATASTRAPHE!" Beams of gold light lanced out and impacted Rita, from four sides, combining into a silver blast that shattered the ground and drove debris to be pulverized against the barrier that kept the collateral damage from hitting the spectators. As the brilliant light faded, she clicked shut her book as she saw the boys motionless body laying on the ground.

"That, id the fruit of my…" She drifted off as she noticed the glyph glowing under her feet and the cone of Aer hazing the air. Her eyes had time to wide as the air exploded as a bolt of lightning, lager around then herself smacked down and blasted her off her feet into darkness.

…

**End 3**


End file.
